|
|
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM LAMAN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION
|
|
‘A lot of ground to cover’: That’s how one researcher describes the rush to understand the effects of wildfire smoke on animals. Existing studies cover only about 50 species, including just a handful of mammals, Nat Geo reports. We do know that birds, whales, and dolphins are extraordinarily sensitive to smoke-filled air. (Above, photographer, biologist, and Nat Geo Explorer Tim Laman captured crab-eating macaques on Borneo in 2015, surrounded by smoke from a fire.)
The biggest hippo herd outside Africa? If you guessed Colombia, you are correct. Some 80 or more hippos have thrived in the wild since the 1993 killing of cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar, who imported them. But now they’re edging out native species, so authorities are on their way to sterilizing all of them, the BBC reports.
Koalas vaccinated against chlamydia: A sexually transmitted disease found among humans is also widespread among Australia’s koalas. About 400 koalas will be vaccinated and microchipped before their release. The bacterial disease, which can be spread from mother to newborn, can cause debilitating eye inflammation and even blindness or infertility, CNN reports.
YouTube sued: A lawsuit accuses YouTube of supporting the "creation, production and circulation" of animal abuse videos by failing to remove them. Lady Freethinker, an animal rights nonprofit, says the site has ignored efforts to get clear violations taken down. Nat Geo has reported continued animal suffering and exploitation in fake rescue videos on the platform. YouTube says it’s enforcing its ban, and has removed hundreds of thousands of videos, the New York Times reports.
Behind the escape: The zebras on the loose in Maryland have gotten a lot of attention, but the breeder, Jerry Holly, has remained an enigma. DCist examined public records and found an exotic animal breeding business in two states that has included large cats, primates, giraffes, and bears. Holly has been cited for more than a hundred violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including failure to maintain fencing, as well as unclean housing and water for animals, Rachel Kurzius reports.
|
|
|
|
